OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION & ENFORCEMENT
For Release November 6, 1992
Jerry Childress (202) 208-2719

OHIO ASSUMES OPERATION OF STATE ABANDONED MINE LANDS EMERGENCY
PROGRAM

The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement (OSM) today announced that the state of Ohio has
assumed operation of the state's abandoned mine land (AML)
emergency reclamation program, which was previously administered by
OSM.

"OSM has encouraged Ohio and other states to take control of
emergency program operations within their own boundaries," OSM
Director Harry M. Snyder said. "This strengthens state authority by
reducing federal control over state and local programs."

"Ohio and most other coal states already control their own surface
mining regulatory and abandoned mine reclamation programs," Snyder
added. "Now it's time to move to full state primacy by empowering
the states to run their own federally financed emergency
reclamation programs as well."

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation,
will implement and administer the emergency reclamation program,
financed by grants from OSM. Grants for fiscal year 1993 will total
$1.5 million. OSM approved a $400,000 administrative grant for Ohio
on September 30, 1992, and has authorized an additional grant of
$1.1 million, effective October 30, for anticipated emergency
construction costs.

An AML emergency exists when an abandoned coal mine causes imminent
danger to life and/or property, such as a slide from an old surface
mine blocking a highway or subsidence from a collapsing underground
mine damaging a home.

Ohio becomes the eighth primacy state to operate its own AML
emergency program. Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Montana,
Virginia, and West Virginia currently operate their own emergency
AML programs.

-DOI-